Kiger Mesteño Association

The Kiger Mesteño Association was founded in July 1988 to protect and preserve the remaining wild Kiger Mustangs and their counterparts in captivity. This association developed the Standard of Perfection for the Kiger horse, defined the breed and established a registry with the guidance of Ron Harding, BLM Wild Horse Specialist. With over 800 horses registered with the KMA, and exceptional public interest in this rare breed, their continued survival is assured. This is a horse that traces its roots back to the coveted horse of the Conquistador. As such, the Kiger exhibits remarkable old world breeding, primitive coloration and a marvelous athleticism that has been honed in the wild. With their solid minds, Kigers not only excel in the areas of pleasure and trail riding, performance, endurance, and driving, but in their wild free-roaming state they represent our American heritage. The Kiger Mustang is indeed a Living Legend. Join us to learn about this American Icon, the Kiger Mustang.

The Kiger Mustang is truly an Oregon treasure. Sequestered in far corners of Oregon’s beautiful and rugged wilderness the Kiger developed as an agile and adept wild mustang. The Kiger was preserved and is now protected on tracts of land maintained by the Bureau of Land Management. In 1970s the BLM was charged with the duty to manage the Mustang. Shortly thereafter, Ron Harding, a founding member of our association, would become Oregon’s first wild horse specialist. When Ron Harding saw the rare beauty of these animals, he did everything he could to preserve these magnificent horses. He had heard the tales the old cowboys would tell about the elusive Spanish Duns in the hills; animals that could scale impossible hills and cross terrain that ordinary saddle horses would refuse. He believed the tales of the wild horses and he made it his mission to preserve these horses. Harding looked for and found pockets of the horses that displayed the remarkable primitive colors and classic Spanish characteristics the old-timers had described so earnestly. As wild horses were gathered in Oregon, the Spanish Mustangs from the various regions were sequestered to the Kiger and Riddle HMAs. The horses have been selected for Spanish conformation and dun factor. They may exhibit some or all of the classic features of the dun which include: the dorsal stripe; zebra stripes on the legs; outlined ears; bi-colored mane and tail; face masks and cob-webbing on the forehead. To preserve the breed and maintain the genetic diversity of the herds, the BLM continues to add high quality Spanish type wild horses to the herd. They monitor the genetic markers and assure genetic diversity through extensive research and testing and the result has been this—a breed of exceptional horses: intelligent, and athletic with highly-prized primitive markings. BLM’s 2014 Herd Management Plan for the Kiger